United Nations Korea Service Medal

Service: All Services
Instituted: 1951
Devices: None
Criteria: Service on behalf of the United Nations in Korea between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1954.

Notes: Above date denotes when award was authorized for wear by U.S. Armed Forces personnel

If veteran served in Korea for at least 30 days between 27 June 1950 and 27 July 1953, he is also entitled to the Korea War Service Medal.

For service on behalf of the United Nations in Korea during the Korean Conflict. The United Nations Service Medal is classified as a foreign service award. It was authorized by the United Nations General Assembly on December 12, 1950 and the Department of Defense approved it for United States Armed Forces on November 27, 1951. The medal was awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces for service in support of the United Nations Command during the period from June 27, 1950 to July 27, 1954. Individuals who were awarded the Korean Service Medal automatically established eligibility for this decoration.

United Nations Korea Service Medal

The United Nations Service Medal was designed by the United Nations. The military medal is a circular bronze disc containing the United Nations emblem (a polar projection of the world taken from the North Pole, encircled by two olive branches). The reverse of the medal has the raised inscription, “FOR SERVICE IN DEFENCE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS” set in five lines. The medal is suspended permanently from a bar, similar to British medals, with the raised inscription “KOREA.” The ribbon passes through the bar and has narrow stripes of alternating light blue (“United Nations Blue”) and white. For further information on United Nations medals, see United Nations Medals and Missions by Lawrence H. Borts, Medals of America Press, 1998.

one day i hope that kdsveterans will be considered war vets. was there 73-74 and did firebase 4p1 and others. incoming smallarms fire and artillery were common close to the Z. hopefully our gov. will come to see that we were the same as others under horrible conditions of war. by war i mean that the war in korea is not over no matter what the gov. says. the kdsm is a godsend to postwar korea vets like myself. allso i wish that the united nations medal will be considered for wear to current military and old vets like myself! the un flag was flying on my camp: CAMP STANLEY KOREA 1ST BN 38TH FA. still proud of my service there! i am and still will be a proud veteran of my service in south korea!!!!!!

The DOD doesn't think there should be a Cold War Metal,because it wasn't a war ,just a state of ready ness . Funny it did't feel that way when our base got attacked in Korea in 1970 Southwest of Inchon. They also said that they couldn't justify the cost . good thing I wasn't thinking that way when I was serving my country! Any one that was in Korea after the war in the late 60's knows that the War was not over. Calling it a conflict so they don't have to pay out benefits was wrong.Just like rotating personal so they won't have to pay combat pay was wrong.The government may hope we will go away,but what we saw was real. C Battery 2nd Bn 44 th Hercules Air Defence

I received the United Nations Service Medal for serving in the Korean Conflict from July 1953 to August of 1954. This medal is not listed on my DD214. How do I correct this error and get it added to my DD214?